ADVENTURE + SERVICE

Engaging, meaningful, authentic, and fun community service is a Bold Earth core value. Community service is an essential part of all Bold Earth trips. Bold Earth families value community service and the opportunity to make a positive and lasting impact on the people and places we visit.

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” — Anne Frank

All Bold Earth programs combine exploration, fun and community service. Whether they are teaching English at a local school, building a community playground, learning about native customs, or participating in environmental conservation work, Bold Earth campers make a difference! Our goal is to enrich the lives of our campers by meeting the needs of local communities and the places we visit.

All participants receive a certificate from Bold Earth recognizing their community service work upon completion of their program. Hours stated for each trip are minimums. Groups with initiative will have the opportunity to give back on a daily basis. Below are descriptions of the community service projects for each Bold Earth program.

TOTAL: 27 Trips – 43 Projects – 14,000+ Volunteer Hours per Summer!

See EACH project below:

USA (Older) Programs

Service Credits: 8 hours

Service Partner:Alaska Wildlife Conservation CenterService Program: The site of our first group backpack, the majestic Chugach State Park, is the perfect place to give back to the areas in which we travel. Our day of service involves partnering with the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. We put in a hard day’s work with the goal of helping ecological and conservation efforts with the AWCC. Projects vary depending on the current needs of the Center but may include gardening, feeding animals, trail restoration or anything else they might ask. Learn more about the center visit: The Alaska Wildlife Conservation’s website.

Service Partner:Mountain View Boys & Girls ClubService Program: We also “give back” to Alaska by volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club in Anchorage. The Club allows youth to have a safe place to learn and grow, to develop ongoing relationships with caring adult professionals and to participate in life-enhancing programs and character development experiences. Boys & Girls Clubhouses are open before and after school when kids have free time and need positive, productive activities. As volunteers, we provide key supplementary support in the areas of club maintenance, administrative support and active participation of club members. Visit the Club’s website.

Service Partner: Waipio Cultural Exchange Service Program: We work and stay with a local family in the legendary Waipio Valley, famous for its mystical beauty and the traditional lifestyle. During this cultural exchange, we gather ingredients, such as coconuts and Ti leaves, for our traditional Hawaiian feast of laulau. We also plant coconut trees as a gesture of goodwill for future generations to enjoy. (4 hours)

Service Partner:Volcanoes National ParkService Program: Our second project takes us to the unique and incomparable Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The past and present lava flow throughout the park creating a moonscape where the life cycle is forced to repeat itself time and again. We help the park regain its natural state by participating in environmental conservation projects such as collecting seeds, removing invasive species and planting indigenous trees (4 hours). To learn more go to Volcanoes National Park.

Service Partner:Jacks Diving LockerService Program: Beautiful Kahalu’u Bay is our home for two days of experiential learning, marine biology, snorkeling, skin diving, and community service. Kahalu’u is famous for spectacular coral reefs and exotic marine life, including an abundant sea turtle population. We spend our days in the water, collecting ocean data, snorkeling, and learning hands-on about reef ecology. By the end of our training, we are certified to educate visitors about human impacts on marine environments across the globe (12 hours).

Service Partner:Marin County ParksService Program: Marin County Open Space! Just north of San Francisco, and with a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge, campers work with the Marin County Parks on an ecological restoration project. Campers will help remove invasive species that has taken over Hidden Lake Vernal pool. Vernal pools are rare and uplands vernal pools like Hidden Lake are extremely rare. Our goal is to aid in restoration efforts of the areas diverse ecosystems. As invasive species grow in the area, native plant populations dwindle. With a tremendous help from volunteers, Marin County Parks are turning the tide and increasing range of native plants. To learn more go to Marin County Parks.

Service Partner:Sequoia National ParkService Program: Sequoia National Park! We work to maintain trails and clean trash in California’s Sequoia National Park. Our goal is to help provide access to the natural world and provide a beautiful hiking experience in this stunning Sierra setting. We learn how to maintain a sustainable trail system and also assist in removing exotic plant species to promote the health of the native plants. For more information visit: Sequoia National Park.

Service Partner:Grand Canyon TrustService Program: For 2.5 days, Bold Earth campers are immersed in everything Grand Canyon! Experiencing the Park from the eyes of Park Rangers and Conservationists, campers experience Grand Canyon in a way not many others do. Working in partnership with the Grand Canyon Trust, Bold Earth will work along the North Rim of Grand Canyon on various ecological restoration projects. The Grand Canyon Trust is dedicated to preserving the ecological, social and historical integrity of the incredible American Southwest.

Our projects will vary, but always include building fences to keep wildlife out of fragile wetlands, trail maintenance, and other restoration projects as designated by the Trust. For more information visit: Grand Canyon Trust.

Service Partner:Friends of Dillon Ranger District Service Program: The Friends of the Dillon Ranger District (FDRD) is a partnership among nonprofit organizations, individual volunteers, and public agencies to protect and preserve the natural integrity of the backcountry surrounding Leadville, CO, and the quality of the recreational opportunities the area provides. As members of FDRD’s “Trail Crew” program, Bold Earth campers put in one day of conservation work in this pristine wilderness area. Work includes maintaining the standard hiking routes, repairing structures that have deteriorated, and restoring new impacts as they develop. We will also be camping in the region, with a dramatic culmination on the day after our project when we explore the high-country wilderness via foot! For more information, visit Friends of Dillon Ranger District website.

Service Partner:Save Our ShoresService Program: Today we get our hands dirty working with Save Our Shores, helping to clean up and restore the beautiful beaches of California’s central coast. Many of California’s most popular beaches are in need of trash removal and restoration and we give back by partnering with Save Our Shores. By helping to clean up the beaches and restore habitat, we are positively impacting this crucial ecosystem and reducing the amount of trash entering the Pacific Ocean. For more information visit the Save Our Shores Website.

Service Partner: WOLF Field SchoolService Program: Waking up amongst giant redwood trees and pristine wildlife, we get the opportunity to give back by participating in a building and conservation project in Big Basin National Forest, helping to build new park benches, paint cabins, and to improve access to this incredible wilderness area. Big Basin is California’s oldest state park, as well as home to California’s biggest Redwood tree’s in the world!

Service Program: The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies partners with the Rock Bottom Ranch to provide students the experience to learn more about organic and sustainable farming. Our groups will meet with educators from ACES and learn about the local ecology, and what is being done to keep Colorado wild. After a tour of the ranch, we will pick up some tools and play in the dirt. We learn about organic farming by lending a hand planting or harvesting crops. If there is a group of youngsters around, our group will partner with ACES to lead fun and informative activities. For more information visit: Aspen Center for Environmental Studies.

Service Partner:Colorado Fourteeners InitiativeService Program: The Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI) is a partnership among nonprofit organizations, individual volunteers, and public agencies to protect and preserve the natural integrity of Colorado’s Fourteeners (peaks over 14,000 ft.) and the quality of the recreational opportunities they provide. As members of CFI’s “Adopt-a-Peak” program, Bold Earth campers put in one day of conservation work on one of these mammoth peaks. Work includes maintaining the standard hiking routes, repairing structures that have deteriorated, and restoring new impacts as they develop. We will also be camping on the mountain, with a dramatic culmination on the day after our project when we summit our peak as a group! Hiking the very trail we helped to maintain! For more information visit: Colorado Fourteeners Initiative.

USA Younger

Service Partner:Breck Bike GuidesService Program: After a super fun day of mountain biking outside of Breckenridge, Colorado Discovery campers give back to the Colorado Rocky Mountains! Working with Breck Bike Guides and the Town of Breck campers help to build and maintain mountain biking trails in the area. These are the very same trails that we get to enjoy during the biking portion of our trip. Campers will spend the day with shovels and tools, learning about the ecology of the beautiful mountain ranges we visit. For more information visit the Breck Bike Guides.

Service Partner:Washington State ParksService Program: We camp and volunteer for a day in Moran State Park on Orcas Island in Washington state. With five freshwater lakes and more than 30 miles of hiking trails, the park needs our help protecting fragile plant and wildlife habitats and restoring impacted areas. Rangers will provide the knowledge and tools we need to help preserve wilderness characteristics on the island. Past projects have included the construction of footbridges throughout the park and invasive species removal. For more information visit the Moran State Park.

Latin America

Service Partner: Niños de la Calle Service Program: In Quito, we volunteer with an organization called, “Ninos de la Calle” (Children of the Street). We spend the day teaching English, playing soccer, cooking food and picking up trash. While providing a day’s work in the community, campers also learn about a wide range of social problems facing these underserved youth (3-5 hours).

Service Partner: Rio Muchacho Eco-FarmService Program: Located on Ecuador’s Pacific Coast, Rio Muchacho Eco-Farm is surrounded by lush tropical palm forest. Inhabited by the Montubio people, the community maintains a sustainable, zero-waste organic farm which has become a model for sustainable agriculture in the area. Using practices such as reforestation, permaculture and pesticide-free farming the farm not only supplies food for the village but serves as a model for the local area.

The farming community also coordinates a local primary school where sustainable agricultural education is at the forefront of the curriculum. The school has become a center for the community and serves as a site for meetings, courses, and social gatherings.We spend four days volunteering in the community. We worked alongside the villagers planting trees, harvesting crops, maintaining vegetable gardens, refurbishing buildings and homes, building a playground, and assisting in the primary school teaching English and facilitating a cross-cultural exchange through games and activities. Volunteering at the farm, the school and with community development projects gave us the opportunity to learn, share and contribute to the unique culture of rural Ecuador.

Service Partner: San Clemente VillageService Program: San Clemente Village: High up in the Andes Mountains, north of Otavalo, campers spend two days living in a remote and traditional village. Renowned for its unique culture, pristine environment, and spectacular mountains, Ecuador’s Andes are home to a culture of its own – very different from what campers will experience in other parts of Ecuador. Bold Earth is immensely proud of its relationship with San Clemente Village and campers love it! Working in small groups, campers work in the fields harvesting quinoa and other crops. In the evening, campers help our hosts cook dinner around a fire. We fall asleep with the sounds of traditional Andean music still playing in our ears.

Service Partner: Amazon Conservation Project Service Program: Amazon Conservation Project: Spend five days volunteering in Peru’s Amazon Rainforest! Living and volunteering at a Wildlife Center, campers work hands-on in the rehabilitation and conservation of wild animals. Working alongside conservationists and wildlife biologists, campers help the staff to feed and take care of animals so they can be successfully released back to their natural habitats. Other activities may include assisting with maintenance of an interpretive trail, construction of animal enclosures and interaction with the local community. With its emphasis on species threatened habitat loss and illegal trade, campers learn about habitat restoration and biodiversity. During our stay, we may see lots of wildlife species typical of the river or forest edge such sloth, monkey, tapir, Black Skimmer, Pied Lapwing, Capped Heron, Jabiru Stork, Roadside Hawk, and several species of kingfishers, swallows, and flycatchers.

Service Partner: Cuzco KidsService Program: Cuzco School Project! Cusco is an ancient and spectacular Peruvian city located high in the Andes Mountains. As a gateway to Machu Picchu, most tourists just pass through the city. On Bold Earth, our dedication to authentic travel leads campers to a full-day service project in Cusco. Partnering with an after-school kids program, Bold Earth campers spend the day teaching English, playing soccer and planting a garden. This unique project introduces Bold Earth participants to local culture and a behind-the-scenes look at one of Peru’s most interesting cities.

Service Partner: Lake TiticacaService Program: Lake Titicaca! One of the world’s highest lakes (12,000+ ft) is the location of Bold Earth’s third and final service project on Peru Machu Picchu. Traveling by boat from the shore, we travel across the vast and magical Lake Titicaca to the shores of Amantani Island. Home of the Uros People, the man-made islands are full of authentic culture and the location of our service project. Staying in the village, campers not only get to help the community but also get an authentic look into the culture of these ancient peoples. Working with a local non-profit, Bold Earth helps to install specially constructed chimneys from the mainland. After meeting with the local villagers, we spend a day working side-by-side with our host families installing the chimneys into the mud walls of their kitchens (6-8 hours). By properly ventilating their living structures, the project helps prevent respiratory disorders and allows the local people much healthier living conditions while saving fuel and reducing pollution.

Service Partner: Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation Service Program: Spending the day working with the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation is a life-changing experience. A very active and interesting service project, Bold Earth participants help to construct and beautify a daycare center. Working alongside local families, Bold Earth campers speak only in Spanish while also giving back to the local “Tico” community.

Service Partner: Finca EcologicaService Program: Located in the mystical Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, our next community service project is located at the Finca Ecologica. Following a morning of Spanish class, we visit the Ecological Reserve to learn about forest systems and the role the Reserve plays in global ecological awareness. Campers plant trees to enhance wildlife habitats and the natural experience for future generations.

Service Partner:Costa Rican Humanitarian FoundationService Program: Bold Earth has partnered with the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation for many years to help build playgrounds, parks, and gardens in the city of Heredia. During our community service project, campers live with host families for four days and attend Spanish school in the afternoon. We will support a low-income neighborhood by building a children’s park. We create a playground, plant trees, paint murals, and spend time with the local children. For more information on the C.R.H.F. visit: Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation. Campers give back to the local community during an active community service project and also have plenty of opportunities to speak Spanish!

Service Partner: Ostional National Wildlife ParkService Program: Partnering with the Ostional National Wildlife Park, Bold Earth participants see how wildlife conservation can protect animals and ecosystems. Bold Earth Campers spend two evenings working alongside park rangers and World Wildlife Foundation biologists at the wildlife refuge to protect nesting sea turtles. We volunteer by patrolling beaches, looking for nesting sea turtles and translocating nests to protective hatcheries. We also volunteer in the hatchery monitoring success rates and releasing baby turtles into the ocean. For more information visit: Ostional National Wildlife Park.

Service Partner:Costa Rican Humanitarian FoundationService Program: Bold Earth has partnered with the Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation for many years to help build playgrounds, parks, and gardens in the city of Heredia. During our community service project, campers spend two days working to assist a low-income neighborhood by building a children’s park. We build a playground, plant trees, paint murals and spend time with the local children. For more information on the C.R.H.F. visit: Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation.

Service Partner: Finca EcologicaService Program: Located in the mystical Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, our next community service project is located at the Finca Ecologica. Following a morning of Spanish class, we visit the Ecological Reserve to learn about forest systems and the role the reserve plays in global ecological awareness. Campers plant trees to enhance wildlife habitats and the natural experience for future generations.

Service Partner: Portero & Brasilito VillagesService Program: In small fishing villages located just north of Playa Flamingo on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast, campers spend three days working at a primary school and at a public health clinic. Campers not only help repaint the buildings but also spend time assisting nurses and teachers. In Portero, we help lay the foundation for a small community center and will be assisted by local carpenters. The project will involve construction work, laying cement floors and foundations, and installing basic plumbing. In Brasilito, campers volunteer at a public health clinic, learning about rural health and Costa Rica’s health care system. Campers work hard, learn a lot and truly give back to the community. Campers with an interest in teaching or public health will especially love this project!

Service Program: Helping to build a community center near the town of Heredia in Costa Rica’s ‘Central Valley,’ camper immerse themselves in the culture and community of the village. Working alongside locals, campers learn the fundamentals of construction (how to mix concrete, use a hammer, lay a foundation) and then begin working! Wearing hardhats, campers see the progress before their own eyes. Campers sleep well in the evening because this project is fun, inspirational and exhausting!

Service Partner:Life MonteverdeService Program: Bold Earth Campers’ next volunteer project is dedicated to environmental conservation. Volunteering with Life Monteverde, Bold Earth campers learn about the ecologically sensitive Santa Elena National Park. Surrounded by toucans, sloths, monkeys and incredible flowers, campers plant trees and remove invasive species. The objective of this 3-day project is to help reforest (recreate the natural ecosystem) an old farm. The project not only includes lots of hands-on experience but also includes an environmental education component. For campers interested in the environment, this is an inspiring project!

Service Partner: Sayulita Community Foundation Service Program: Bold Earth’s Surf Camp is an action-packed trip – full of SURFING! But, as a core value, every Bold Earth trip includes a service project. Taking a day-off from our surf lessons, Bold Earth Campers spend a day near the authentic sleepy town of El Tuito. Puerto Vallarta is tropical with incredible plant species and biodiversity. Campers dedicate a day’s work to an environmental restoration project. Partnering with a local organization, campers help remove invasive plant species and plant trees. Located at an old dairy farm, campers work to reverse environmental degradation and increase the biodiversity at the old farm. Turning an area from a pasture to a forest, over the long-term, Bold Earth campers help restore the natural habitat for plants and animals.

Service Partner: Community Farm, Swiss Alps Service Program: Ultimate Alps is an action-packed, adventure-filled trip – full of EPIC! Therefore, the Ultimate Alps service project is action-packed, adventurous and EPIC! As a core value, every Bold Earth trip includes a service project. Taking a day-off from our adventures in the Alps, Bold Earth Campers spend a 1/2 day working at a traditional Swiss Farm. Agriculture remains an important part of Switzerland’s economy and culture and is even protected by the Swiss Constitution. Bold Earth Campers spend the afternoon on a working Swiss Farm doing tasks needed around the farm. Tasks include harvesting crops, tilling fields, feeding chickens and goats and picking berries. Campers get dirty, learn about Swiss culture and help out – such a great project!

Service Partner: Roc Roi, Spain Service Program: Bold Europe is an action-packed, culturally rich trip – full of France, Spain, and Italy! As a core value, every Bold Earth trip includes a service project. Taking a day-off from our adventures in the Pyrenees Mountains, Bold Earth Campers spend a day cleaning trash from the side of a river. One of the Pyrenees’ most important rivers, the Noguera Pallaresa is spectacular. Unfortunately, trash from campsites, cars, and hikers end up on the riverside. Campers partner with a local conservation organization and National Park Rangers to pick up trash from the riverside. Hiking, enjoying the beautiful Pyrenees Mountains and making the area cleaner is a great part of Bold Earth’s Bold Europe trip. Bold Earth campers help restore the natural habitat for plants and animals.

Service Partner: Florence City Cleanup Service Program: core value, every Bold Earth trip includes a service project. Taking a day-off from our adventures in Florence, Bold Earth Campers spend a day cleaning trash around Piazza St. Spirito in central Florence. Wearing work gloves and armed with trash-picks, campers spend the day making Florence a more beautiful place. Partnering with a local organization, campers work alongside local volunteers while learning about the challenges of keeping Florence clean. This authentic project is not only active and worthwhile but we get an insider’s view into the good and the bad of this ancient city

Asia Africa Pacific

Service Partner: Zululand Service Program: Zululand, South Africa: Campers spend two days working at a community center. Campers work side-by-side with local villagers on various projects, including painting, fencing, planting trees and general maintenance. In between our hard work, we will have the opportunity to play with the local school children – SO FUN! Our first service project experience culminates with a cultural evening of Zulu dances and songs and a traditional meal prepared by the women in the village.

Service Partner: Swaziland VillageService Program: Swaziland: Our third day of service takes place in northern Swaziland. A kingdom, and independent country, campers get a glimpse into a unique and ancient culture. Living in the village (in Bush Huts), campers get an authentic sense of life in rural Africa. The projects involve fencing an area in which to release small wildlife, refurbishing a nearby school, planting vegetables on the school property and much more. During our stay in Swaziland, will also participate in a cultural exchange with the kids from the local village will teach us some Swazi dances and songs. This will be a great opportunity to interact with the local people of Swaziland.

Service Partner: Kruger National ParkService Program: Our final day of community service work takes place in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. Campers participate in conservation work in world-renowned Kruger National Park. Campers work alongside Park Rangers, to track animals, remove invasive plant species and learn about conservation efforts. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is perfect for animal lovers!

Service Partner: Kuranda EnvirocareService Program: Toting our shovels and gloves, we give back to the community by planting native trees. Run by a Cairns non-profit group, the tree planting helps to revitalize areas that have been damaged by agriculture or development. By digging, planting, and watering, we get to meet local Australians, help the environment, and contribute to the community. Our Australia project helps us make a lasting impression that future generations of Bold Earth groups and Australian locals will be able to enjoy!

Service Partner: Hutong Charity, Beijing Service Program: Campers volunteer at a Bold Earth supported charity for Chinese school kids with learning disabilities. Located in a Beijing ‘Hutong’ neighborhood, the project gives campers a valued glimpse into the social network of China. We spend the day working with underprivileged youth to gain knowledge and experience of the local children’s living conditions (8 hours).

Campers earn 40 hours of community service on Bold Earth’s Fiji Dive Service program. Designed to be educational, worthwhile and fun, the projects connect campers with the communities and natural environments of the places we visit.

Service Partner: Lavena VillageService Program: Nabua Village: Spending three days in Lavena Village allows us to help on a variety of Bold Earth established community service projects. We work directly with the community to identify projects that will directly serve them, whether it’s cleaning up the beach, helping out with planting, or building a playground. In addition, campers work in the Lavena Primary School partnering with teachers to teach subjects that interest them! While living with families, campers see authentic Fiji – the beauty of their culture and reality of rural village life.

Service Partner: Supporting Cyclone Relief EffortsService Program: In February 2016, northwest Fiji was hit by the largest cyclone to ever make landfall in the region. While Fiji has built itself up in the year following, our campers have the opportunity to help local communities with clean up, farming, and construction projects. We’ll visit a local farm on Taveuni Island where we’ll learn about Fijian crops, farming methods, and the environment.

Service Partner: Viani School & Kioa IslandService Program: We visit local communities on a number of islands in the Somosomo Strait, partnering with them for local service projects. Kioa Island has no roads and many villagers have never left the island. Viani schoolchildren and Kioa Village love Bold Earth campers, and campers love volunteering surrounded by spectacular beaches and picturesque views. Campers will have the opportunity to teach at the schools, interact with Fijian children, play games, and organize a cross-cultural exchange.

Service Partner: Mae Hong Son Village Service Program: North of Chiang Mai lie the lush limestone mountains and our base camp in the Mae Hong Son region. This pristine region is filled with caves that contain rivers, waterfalls and an abundance of greenery. Our hill tribe trek will take us into the remote countryside where we stay in hill tribe villages. We will bring along paper, pencils and school books and materials and spend two half-days working with local children teaching them English.